• Services for Ruth Hoops, 82, of Groton will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 27 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Ferney. The  Rev. Lloyd Redhage will officiate.  Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Aberdeen.
• Ruth Marie Bell was born on May 7, 1930 to Frank and Matilda (Glasemann) Bell at Leola, SD.  She was baptized at St. James Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Leola on June 3, 1930.  Her family moved to North Dakota where she attended school.  She spoke and sang only in German until she was 5 years old.  She was a survivor of polio when she was 14 years old.  In 1946, her family moved to Ferney, SD.

• On November 14, 1950, she married James LeRoy Hoops in Ferney, SD.  They made their final home 2 miles north of Ferney.  Together they raised eight children.
• Ruth played the organ, accordion, and piano by ear and never took a music lesson.  She played and was a member of Frank Bell and His Bell-Aires alongside members of her family.  She was a member of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ferney.
• Over the years, she worked at First National Bank of Groton, the Wheel Inn of Ferney, Dakotah at Pierpont and at Fritz's Place while it was still located in Groton.
• She enjoyed custom combining with her husband and children.  She spent the last two years at Sun Dial Manor in Bristol, SD.  She was called home peacefully on Sunday, June 24, 2012 at Sun Dial Manor in Bristol at the age of 82.
• Casketbearers will be her grandsons: Richard Hoops, Patrick Hoops, Cody Bonn, Matt Anderson, Jared Anderson, Chris Pigors, Gerrett Pigors, Aaron Herman, Hayden Pigors and Ethan Pigors.  Honorary Casketbearers include her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
• She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, James L. Hoops; son Robert Hoops; granddaughter Crystal (Hoops) LeBeau and one great-granddaughter Rebecca Hoops.
• Grateful for having shared Ruth's life are her three sons Charles (Kathy) Hoops, Arkansas City, KS; David Hoops (Nina Smith) and James (Barb) Hoops both of Ferney, SD; four daughters: Karen Bonn, Andover, SD; Bonnie (Jim) Mortenson, Aberdeen, SD; Sandy Hoops, Groton, SD; and Vicki (Warren) Pigors; Conde, SD.  She is survived by thirty-one grandchildren, forty-one great-grandchildren and many dear friends.